He who can curb his wrathas soon as it arises,as a timely antidote will checksnake's venom that so quickly spreads, — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who entirely cuts off his lustas entering a pond one uproots lotus plants, — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who entirely cuts off his cravingby drying up its fierce and rapid flow, — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who entirely blots out conceitas the wind demolishes a fragile bamboo bridge, — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who does not find core or substancein any of the realms of being,like flowers which are vainly soughtin fig trees that bear none, — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who bears no grudges in his heart,transcending all this "thus" and "otherwise," — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who has burned out his evil thoughts,entirely cut them off within his heart, — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond, just as theserpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who neither goes too far nor lags behind,entirely transcending the diffuseness of the world, — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who neither goes too far nor lags behindand knows about the world: "This is all unreal," — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who neither goes too far nor lags behind,greedless he knows: "This is all unreal," — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who neither goes too far nor lags behind,lust-free he knows: "This is all unreal," — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who neither goes too far nor lags behind,hate-free he knows: "This is all unreal," — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who neither goes too far nor lags behind,delusion-free he knows: "This is all unreal," — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who has no dormant tendencies whatever,whose unwholesome roots have been expunged, — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

States born of anxiety he harbors nonewhich may condition his return to earth, — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

States born of attachment he harbors nonewhich cause his bondage to existence, — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

He who has the five hindrances discarded,doubt-free and serene, and free of inner barbs, — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat

Translator's note: A comparative study among the records of various early Buddhist schools suggests that the verses here, like those in I.3, were originally separate poems, spoken on separate occasions, and that they have been gathered together because they share the same refrain.

The monk who subdues his arisen angeras, with herbs, snake-venom once it has spread, sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk who has cut off passionwithout leaving a trace,as he would plunging into a lake, a lotus, sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk who has cut off cravingwithout leaving a trace,as if he had dried up a swift-flowing stream, sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk who has demolished conceitwithout leaving a trace,as a great flood, a very weak bridge made of reeds, sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk seeingin states of becomingno essence,as he would,when surveying a fig tree,no flowers, sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk with no inner anger,who has thus gone beyondbecoming & not-, sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk whose discursive thoughts are dispersed,well-dealt with insidewithout leaving a trace, sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk who hasn't slipped past or turned back,transcending allthis complication, sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk who hasn't slipped past or turned back,knowing with regard to the worldthat "All this is unreal," sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk who hasn't slipped past or turned back,without greed, as "All this is unreal," sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk who hasn't slipped past or turned back,without aversion, as "All this is unreal," sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk who hasn't slipped past or turned back,without delusion, as "All this is unreal," sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk in whom there are no obsessions — the roots of unskillfulness totally destroyed — sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk in whom there's nothing born of distressthat would lead him back to this shore, sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk in whom there's nothing born of desirethat would keep him bound to becoming, sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin.

The monk who's abandoned five hindrances,who, untroubled, unwounded,has crossed over doubt, sloughs off the near shore & far — as a snake, its decrepit old skin

สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat

An interesting thought from Venerable Nanananda in his Nibbana Sermon #5... (emphasis mine)

We could perhaps say that such a monk neither amasses or accumulates, nor diminishes. Since he is already diminished, presumably as regards the five aggregates, he neither abandons nor grasps anew. Since the giving up is complete, he neither binds together or enlists (note the word sena, army), nor disbands. Disbanding (if not ‘disarmament’), being complete, there is neither exorcizing or smoking out, nor proficiating or inviting. The coupling of these terms and their peculiar employment is suggestive of the arahant’s freedom from the dichotomy.

In the Brāhmaõavagga of the Dhammapada too, we come across a similar enigmatic verse:

In this context the word brāhmaõa refers to the arahant. Here too, it is said that the arahant has neither a farther shore, nor a hither shore, nor both. This might sometimes appear as a problem. Our usual concept of an arahant is of one who has crossed over the ocean of saüsāra and is standing on the other shore. But here is something enigmatic.

We come across a similar sutta in the Sutta Nipāta also, namely its very first, the Uragasutta. The extraordinary feature of this sutta is the recurrence of the same refrain throughout its seventeen verses. The refrain is:

So bhikkhu jahāti orapāraü,urago jiõõamiva tacaü purāõaü.cxlv[15]"That monk forsakes the hither and the tither,Like a snake its slough that doth wither".

This simile of the slough, or the worn-out skin of the snake, is highly significant. To quote one instance:Yo nājjhagamā bhavesu sāraü,vicinaü pupphamiva udumbaresu,so bhikkhu jahāti orapāraü,urago jiõõamiva tacaü purāõaü.cxlvi[16]

"That monk who sees no essence in existence,Like one seeking flowers in Udumbara trees,Will give up the hither as well as the thither,Like the snake its slough that doth wither".

The arahant has abandoned his attachment to existence. As such, he is free from the bondage of those conjoined terms in worldly usage. So the arahant looks at the worldly usage in the same way as a snake would turn back and look at the worn-out skin he has sloughed off. Sometimes we see a snake moving about with a remnant of its slough hanging on. We might even think that the snake is carrying its slough around. It is the same in the case of the arahants.

Thus, in general, I think this sutta is about seeing the duality between existence and non-existence, such as that detailed in SN 12.15.

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

Last edited by BlackBird on Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Such a person would have to feel really well all the time. He/she would be without inner conflicts and at peace with him/herself.I do recognise the qualities described within myself but i can't say that i can manifest them all the time or always perfectly.So i guess there is still work to be done!

When the mind only minds the mind, reality stands alone and shines,this is wisdom in action,its expression is compassion...

Ven nananda is an amazing monastic. His insight and knowledge is incomparable. The nibbana sermons are a true gift to humanity from someone leaving it behind. I hope we are fortunate enough to see it's true value.

I agree whole-heartedly. It is good that his Nibbana Sermons are now available online in English, but also rather unfortunate that they have seemingly not been published in book form, because they deserve to be!

Given that I prefer reading off paper so that I can read on public transport, I had to resort to printing them out, hole punching them, and putting them in a ring-binder. Even now if they were printed properly in book form, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase them. They are truly excellent, and venerable Nanananda's teachings are a shining beacon of light.

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

I thought about making a similar point on several occasions. In any case, you have said all that I wanted to say anyway, so I'll leave it at: I concur wholeheartedly.

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

8fold wrote:Can a lay person who has to earn a living live such a life?

A lay person can attain aryan nobility, which puts them in the stream towards such enlightenment.

Whether they can achieve arahantship as a lay person is a matter of debate. I think the only thing necessarily preventing it, is the engagement in 'wordly' activities, which are conducive to and may even necessitate a degree of 'worldly engagement'.

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7